Lungu orders replay of Amos’ interview

President Edgar Lungu says the judiciary like any other arm of government is susceptible to criticism.

And President Lungu has requested ZNBC to re-broadcast the interview in which State House Spokesman Amos Chanda is said to have attacked the judiciary.

President Lungu said the judiciary like all other arms of government are prone to criticism and all them should be criticised.

President Lungu was speaking to Journalist at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka upon arrival from Tanzania.

“But what we need to know is that all of us are prone to criticism one way or the other, the executive, judiciary and the legislature we cannot say the legislature cannot be criticised or judiciary or the executive,” President Lungu said.

“All of us the executive should be criticised, the judiciary should be criticised and the legislature but within the modicum of respect and decency of their roles that we do.”
President Lungu re-emphasised that he has respected the judiciary and his actions in the past had shown that.

“I respect the judiciary, if I did not I would not have sat down in State House and wait for them to adjudicate after elections. I didn’t and I do not think Amos would go and do different because Amos is my Spokesperson and he understands my sentiments about the judiciary,” President Lungu stated.
President Lungu however noted that that criticism of the judiciary needed to be made with a degree of decency and respect of their office and also separation of power.

And President Lungu has asked ZNBC to air the Sunday Interview which featured Mr Chanda saying critics are twisting and politicising Mr Chanda’s statement.

I have heard Amos, Amos, and I was talking to him and he says he did not say anything to warrant that so if you tell me what exactly he said then I can answer, what did he say that offended the judges,” President Lungu said.

“But what I have done is, I will ask ZNBC to air the interview on Thursday after news so that we can all hear for ourselves what he said then I will comment if there will be need, “he said.

“Probably we just want to politicise whatever he said. So I say let’s tune in on Thursday after the news and we listen to what he said then we debate. You know why I am saying this, Zambians depend on hearsay, opinion and want to run with what others think so I am saying let’s listen to what Amos said then we can debate.”

President Lungu demanded for evidence against Mr Chanda doubting his aide would speak a different tone from him.
“I have heard Amos, and I was talking to him and he says he did not say anything to warrant that so if you tell me what exactly he said then I can answer, what did he say that offended the judges,” he said.

“The Courts are sensitive I know but we need to give them space but at the same time they are prone to criticism as well like everyone else within the modicum of decency and respect of their office and also separation of power.”
He added that he respected the nullifications done by the courts so far because they were merely doing their job.
“They are doing their job and I think in the context of what Mr Chanda might have said we respect the judiciary, take a cue from me, I was in State House glued, I didn’t speak or do anything I was waiting on the court to do their job,” said President Lungu.